Wolves Upset Wildcats to Earn Split

POPLARVILLE – The Co-Lin Baseball team hit the road for MACCC competition against Pearl River on Wednesday, April 9. The Wolves and the No. 2 Wildcats split the doubleheader as the Wildcats took game one, 15-5, but the Wolves rebounded and won game two, 7-1, for the Wolves first win against Pearl River since May 2, 2017.

GAME ONE

The first game of the doubleheader saw the Wildcats take a lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead over the Wolves. The Wildcats then scored three runs in the bottom of the second to increase their lead to 5-0.

That score held until the Wolves scored two runs in the top of the fourth as Tucker Jones (Brandon) hit a leadoff single while Trey Davidson reached on an error that allowed both runners to get into scoring position with no outs. Later in the inning, Jones scored on a passed ball while Evan Holifield (Stringer) hit a bunt single scoring Davidson and making the score, 5-2.

The Wildcats then scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to 12-2 highlighted by a solo and two-run home run. The Wolves then cut into the lead as Donovan Moore drew a walk with one out to get the offense going. Later in the inning, Jones drew a walk to put two runners on while Davidson then hit a single and an error on the play allowed Moore to score making it, 12-3.

The Wolves added two more runs in the top of the sixth as Holifield drew a leadoff walk. Lucas Harrington (Youngsville, LA) then stepped up to the plate, took one swing of the bat, and crushed a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his second of the season, making the score, 12-5.

The Wildcats then ended the game with a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 15-5 win in game one.

The Wolves totaled seven hits as Tucker Jones, Trey Davidson, Reise Thomas (Florence) Evan Holifield, Lucas Harrington, and Donovan Moore had one hit each. Harrington led the Wolves with three RBIs while Holifield had one.

Cohen Weinhofer (Ocean Springs) got the start and fell to 4-5 while pitching three innings and allowing nine runs, all earned, on 11 hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Jacob Buffalo (Foxworth) pitched one inning of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with one walk while Judson Griffin pitched 2.1 innings of relief allowing three runs, all earned, on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.

GAME TWO

The second game of the doubleheader saw the Wolves take a lead with a single run in the top of the first as Trey Davidson hit a two-out single to get the offense started. Davidson then advanced to third on a double by Lucas Harrington and scored on an RBI-single by Evan Holifield to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

The score held until the Wildcats tied the game with a solo run in the bottom of the third making the score, 1-1. The Wildcats then looked to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth as they got two runners on with one out, but the Wolves then forced a double play to end the inning and maintain the tie.

The Wolves then retook the lead with a single run in the top of the fifth as Gavin Bledsoe (Brandon) was hit-by-pitch to start the inning. Bledsoe then stole second and advanced to third after a fly out. Later in the inning, Tucker Jones hit a two-out RBI-single scoring Bledsoe and giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

The Wildcats looked to respond in the bottom of the fifth as they got two runners on with one out, but a strikeout followed by a groundout left the runners stranded and maintained the lead for the Wolves. Once again the Wildcats looked for a response in the bottom of the sixth s they got two runners on with two outs, but the Wolves again maintained their lead as a groundout ended the inning with no scoring done.

The Wolves then exploded for five runs in the top of the seventh as Bledsoe and Moore drew back-to-back walks and then advanced into scoring position by Avery Griffin (Brookhaven). Jones then drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Trey Davidson then hit a two-RBI single scoring Bledsoe and Moore while Harrington hit a second straight two-RBI single scoring Jones and Davidson to give the Wolves a 6-1 lead. Later in the inning, Brady White (Ethel) hit an RBI-single scoring Harrington to push the lead to 7-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats went strikeout, strikeout, single, strikeout to seal the upset win in game two for the Wolves.

The Wolves totaled nine hits as Trey Davidson led the way with three while Lucas Harrington had two hits with Tucker Jones, Evan Holifield, Brady White, and Gavin Bledsoe adding one hit each. Davidson and Harrington led the Wolves in RBIs with two apiece while Jones, Holifield, and White had one RBI each.

Jennings Kimbrell (Flowood) got the start and improved to 8-2 while pitching 4.1 innings and allowing one earned run on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Nash Sturdivant (Brandon) picked up his fifth save of the season while pitching 2.2 innings scoreless relief allowing one hit with two walks and five strikeouts.

Co-Lin is now 25-18, 9-9 in MACCC play, and will return home to host Northeast on Saturday, April 12. First pitch between the No. 24 Tigers and the Wolves is set for 2 p.m., at Sullivan Field in Wesson.